Alfresco films

Thomas J. Story

How to host your own backyard movie party

Peter O. Whiteley,

A late-summer evening is the perfect time to invite a few friends over for a little stargazing – think Clint Eastwood, Kim Novak, or Bugs Bunny. It’s surprisingly easy to turn your patio into an alfresco theater where you can project your favorite films, serve hot popcorn, and snack on hot dogs right off the grill. What could be better than a stay-at-home drive-in?

You may already own most of the electronic components: a DVD player (or laptop computer), amplifier, and speakers. The key missing ingredients are a good-size screen – which you can make yourself – and a video projector, which you can find at an audiovisual rental store. (One-day rentals range from about $150 to $250; prices for a good-quality projector start at around $1,000.) Amps, speakers, screens, and DVD players are also available for rent.

Atmosphere counts in an outdoor theater. Decorative touches such as vintage movie posters, a mini marquee, director’s chairs, and overhead lanterns or strings of lights create the right mood.

Screen. We used a 4- by 8-foot sheet of foam-core board purchased at an art-supply store, but you could substitute a piece of plywood, a large bedsheet, or simply a smooth wall. Our screen is taped to two 6-foot 1-by-2s rising from a pair of gravel-filled flowerpots. We screwed short 1-by-2 crosspieces near the bottom of each leg, burying them in the gravel to resist tipping.

Wiring. Plug the projector, DVD player, and amplifier into a power strip with a surge protector. For safety, run the extension cord from an outdoor electrical outlet with a ground-fault circuit interrupter.